Games of September 2018

Destiny 2: Forsaken

Bungie’s shared world shooter has had a divisive first year, but the new major expansion aims to fix the problems fans had with the original release and chart a new future for the series. Kicking off with the murder of the beloved Guardian Cayde-6, players will find themselves on a journey of revenge that takes them to new areas of the Reef and hunting down eight powerful Outlaws. New enemies, weapons, and Supers are nothing new for a Destiny expansion, but Forsaken goes bigger with a new weapon slot system, and the competitive co-op Gambit mode. If you’re a Guardian who bounced off of Destiny 2, this is a good time to jump back in.

Dragon Quest XI: Echoes of an Elusive Age

Japanese players already got to play Dragon Quest XI last year, but September will see the game’s worldwide release. As a young boy with a strange birthmark on his arm, you’ll leave your idyllic home with your best friend and travel the world to defeat the Lord of Shadows and prevent the end of the world. Our review called it, "A massive, masterful, 'traditional' RPG" and a "visual feast."

Zone of the Enders: Second Runner - Mars

It’s been 15 years since Zone of the Enders: The Second Runner released, putting players back into the Jehuty Orbital Frame. After a remaster for the PS3 and Xbox 360, and the mecha hack-n-slash is returning for a second remaster, this time for the PS4 and PC with enhanced graphics, “next gen” surround sound, and two extra difficulty modes. But the most important new addition is the VR support that’ll let you interact with Jehuty and view in-game models in 360 degrees. For those that want to play more of Kojima’s work, this is one game you shouldn’t miss out on.

Marvel’s Spider-Man

At this point, what else needs to be said about Spider-Man? Insomniac’s first foray with the webhead has continued to impress with each time it’s been shown, and it’s hard to not get excited at the prospect of a Spider-Man game with perfect webslinging yet again. Everything is lining up for this to be a game changer – not just for Spider-Man games, but for superhero and Marvel games in particular. For PS4 owners, this is definitely one game to pick up as soon as humanly possible.

NBA Live 19

A new year of basketball means another chance for EA to help you once again become The One. NBA Live 19 once again goes for the rising star experience by putting players in the shoes of a promising high school student recruited to the big leagues and going on a globe-trotting adventure to create a team made up of the best players on the world. The One was the highlight of last year’s game, and its continuation here with deeper customization options and focus and combining “street” and “league” games make Live 19 worth paying attention to.

NBA 2K19

It wouldn’t be the fall games season without a new NBA 2K to grace the shelves. For LeBron James, everything is going his way this year, as he’s the star gracing the game’s cover for the LA Lakers for the game’s 20th anniversary edition. Along with the cover, 2K will have James-specific content set to be released with the special edition such as in-game items, virtual currency, and MyCOURT customizations tied to LeBron. The anniversary edition of the game can be bought four days earlier than the standard edition retail release, and given how hot LeBron’s been, it’s hard to pass up that offer.

Shadow of the Tomb Raider

It feels so long ago that Lara Croft was stuck on an island full of cannibals and searching for immortal cities. But this being the final story in her reboot trilogy, she’s not content with just relaxing. This time, Lara travels heads to South America to find an Aztec relic, stop the Mayan Apocalypse that she helped start and finally bring an end to Trinity. Fans of the earlier Tomb Raider entries will be glad to hear that there are many more tombs for Lara to explore this time around, and new difficulty options will ensure that players get to be how they personally perceive Lara Croft.

Star Control: Origins

It’s been over 20 years since Atari’s Star Control series saw a new release. Now that the rights have been acquired by Stardock, the studio has brought back the long in stasis series with a procedurally generated action-RPG. Set in an alternate universe outside of the original trilogy, players will take on the role of a human taking the charge for Earth’s first interstellar odyssey. Sci-fi games are fairly common now, so Stardock’s way of standing out is a built in story editor that’ll allow players to create their own stories and dialogues for the aliens that’ll be lip synced with whatever dialogue written. That alone is worth taking this new trip to the stars.

Life is Strange Season 2: Episode 1

Fresh on the heels of The Awesome Adventures of Captain Spirit, Developer Dontnod Entertainment is continuing to build on the Life is Strange universe, this time introducing all-new characters in 16-year-old Sean and 9-year-old Daniel Diaz. After a "tragic event" occurs in their suburban Seattle home, both boys run from the police to seek asylum in Puerto Lobos, Mexico. Developers tease a whole new cast of characters and powers to explore in this follow-up to the 2015 original.

FIFA 19

The World Cup this year was phenomenal game after game. That’s fortunately where FIFA 19 comes in to provide an experience that’ll be just as fun to play as the Cup matches were to watch. Anyone who plays the Pro Evolution games will be pleased to hear the Champions League mode is coming with the real world tournament options that’ll help the matches feel more real, along with the addition of the UEFA Super Cup and Europa League. The high of soccer never really ends, and FIFA 19 wants to keep it going until the next World Cup.

Games of October 2018

Mega Man 11

Capcom’s been keeping Mega Man fans happy with remasters of the first ten games, but the Blue Bomber’s finally making a return with a true follow up. Same basic gameplay it may have, but new powers and graphical changes show the robot can learn some new tricks. Capcom veteran Koji Oda is handling directing duties for this one, a man who personally made his own pitch for a Mega Man game after previous ones didn’t pan out. Oda is a man who clearly has a love for Mega Man, and that passion makes it clear that the game is in good hands.

Fist of the North Star: Lost Paradise

SEGA’s Yakuza series has slowly become one of the most beloved franchises in recent gaming memory. The development team behind that franchise is taking the mechanics and putting them into a new Fist of the North Star game, and that is just too perfect for words. Yeah, beating people up is fun, but everyone knows where the real draw lies. The fun of the Yakuza universe has come from hilariously elevating the mundane, and the post apocalyptic setting of North Star will be ripe for some much needed silliness. It’s hard to turn down a destroyed world that has bartending and baseball.

Forza Horizon 4

Forza Horizon 4 has eyes towards the shared world space, sure, but it goes beyond the simple desire to connect players. The option is always there for those who grow sick of racing Drivatars, and it’s clear that Playground is trying to appeal to all types of Forza fans. Cars are beautiful, and Horizon 4 will reward those who love to snap photos or paint them in some way. The Horizon series has always excelled at providing players satisfaction, few things are as satisfying as driving around in beautiful cars all over beautiful Britain and sharing pictures of it with the world.

Assassin’s Creed: Odyssey

Assassin’s Creed games are all about the action and stealth, and Odyssey doesn’t try to change that. Ancient Greece is perhaps the best setting for these two pillars of the series, but the more intriguing part comes with the new characters Alexios and Kassandra. These games live and die by their protagonists, and treating Odyssey like a true RPG means that the two really do get to be however the player imagines them. Want to be a dorky lesbian with a love of stabbing with a magical spear? You can do that. Be a bisexual rogue that takes up mercenary contracts? You can do that, too. Odyssey is drifting into uncharted territories for the series, but just giving players more ways to bring character to the Assassins hint at clear skies for this new journey.

Super Mario Party

The question surrounding Mario Party wasn’t about if it would come to Switch, but what it would bring to the table when it did. Putting two Switch tablets near or one another will create new configurations for some of the 80 minigames in Super Mario Party, a novelty that likely won’t wear off anytime soon. And for those that don’t have anyone within driving distance to play with, online play finally comes to the series. Mario Party has always been about playing side by side with friends, but there’s some fun to be had in having frustrating fun with friends that live states away.

WWE 2K19

All the action of World Wrestling Entertainment is at your fingertips with WWE 2K19. This year’s entry into the series has 75 playable wrestlers, and counting, and there’s even a collector’s Ric Flair edition loaded with enough Nature Boy swag to make anyone go “Wooooo.”

Call of Duty: Black Ops 4

The Black Ops arm of Call of Duty has always offered some of the most fun experiences, and this doesn’t look to be an exception. It may not have a story mode, but it comes with enough content to almost make up for it. Zombies is nothing new for the franchise, but Treyarch’s new iteration of the classic mode feels like it’s at full potential with modifiers and three launch campaigns. And of course, there’s the Battle Royale mode simply known as Blackout that promises to include every character from the Black Ops universe. It may be an unknown variable right now, but it’s one worth paying attention to.

LEGO DC Super Villains

Being a superhero is all fun and good, but sometimes, you just want to be as bad as you can be. Thankfully, LEGO and Traveler’s Tales are finally putting out a game that’ll indulge those evil desires you have. DC Super Villains lets the bad guys take the spotlight and try to be heroes after the Crime Syndicate shows up. It also helps that you’ll be able to make your own villain created from pieces and powers of actual DC villains, which will guarantee some laughs. This is said to be the “most hilarious” LEGO game yet, and here’s hoping that’s true. Sometimes being bad is just funny.

Starlink: Battle for Atlas

The Toys to Life gaming craze sputtered out with the deaths of Disney Infinity, Skylanders, and Toys R Us. Ubisoft’s Starlink seems like a weird outlier given the recent death of the latter in particular, but this game as something other contenders in the category lacked: the legendary Star Fox. Starlink’s Switch version lets you bring Fox and a few of his friends into the fight for the galaxy. Starlink certainly sounds like a winner for all of its systems, but having Star Fox in its pocket for the Switch makes it a must buy for the holiday season.

Soulcalibur VI

Over six years have passed since a genuine Soulcalibur sequel, and Bandai Namco is ready to bring the series back in full force this October. Other fighting game franchises became all about flashy combos, but Soulcalibur VI retains the series’ focus on weapons over fisticuffs, along with a dynamic use of slow motion during battles that adds a more subtle style to the proceedings. With For Honor managing to make a foothold in the fighting community with its weapons focused play, Soulcalibur 6 will need an edge. Good thing the game’s borrowing Geralt of Rivia from the Witcher just for that purpose.

Just Dance 2019

There’s no beating around the bush with this one. Just Dance wants you to just, well, dance. This year’s entry into this crazy-successful franchise brings more songs and a system to learn what dances best fit your style, so the game can recommend music just for you.

Red Dead Redemption 2

The first Red Dead Redemption in 2010 was one of the best games of the PS3/360 console generation. It’s hard to believe Red Dead II is so close after many delays, but its October release looms on the horizon. And with it comes our new cowboy Arthur Morgan, set years before the first Red Dead and a member of the Van der Linde Gang that John Marston will later join and hunt down. Everything else about Red Dead II is currently under wraps, but it also doesn’t really matter. It’s Rockstar, it’s Red Dead, nothing else needs to be said.

Call of Cthulhu: The Official Video Game

Part survival horror, part RPG, Call of Cthulhu: The Official Video Game is set in a Lovecraftian nightmare, skating the fine line between horror and madness. Based on the pen and paper RPG, Call of Cthulhu suffered some delays but is finally scheduled to come out, fittingly enough, the day before Halloween.

Games of November 2018

Overkill’s The Walking Dead

The Walking Dead shows no signs of slowing down in any of its various forms of media. While the final season of Telltale’s heart wrenching season will be playing out an emotional adventure game narrative, Payday developer Overkill is sticking with what they know and taking a more action-oriented focus on the universe. Co-op zombie games are nothing new, but there’s still something fun about taking on the undead with friends and low resources, not unlike what so often happens in Walking Dead the show. Like zombies themselves, that feeling never truly dies, and that, plus the post-game support that Overkill is known for, will be what keeps this new Walking Dead game going.

Hitman 2

The 2016 Hitman was a delightful romp that truly made the most of its episodic format and truly let players feel like Agent 47 at his best. Hitman 2 may be going back to the full game release of earlier entries, but it feels like a second season. With more targets and plenty of solutions to dispose of them, from simple firearms to more creative methods, it’s clear that IO simply wants to offer more of the great gameplay the series is known for. And really, who can turn down a game that lets you kill people while wearing a fluffy flamingo costume?

Spyro: Reignited Trilogy

Spyro Reignited Trilogy - First Spyro: Year of the Dragon Screenshots

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Cloud Spires in the remastered Spyro: Year of the Dragon, included in the Spyro Reignited Trilogy package.

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Cloud Spires in the remastered Spyro: Year of the Dragon, included in the Spyro Reignited Trilogy package.

Crash Bandicoot got the remaster treatment, so it’s only fair that Spyro get the same since his legacy is equally as important. The original PlayStation trilogy gets a much needed visual and musical update, and it’s hard to not be in awe of how great it looks. Even though the game’s got the graphical overhaul, don’t worry about losing your muscle memory of the levels – they’re all the same as they were in structure, they just look a lot better. Given how great Crash’s N. Sane Trilogy was, the Reignited Trilogy looks to be exactly what the purple dragon needs.

Fallout 76

The Fallout franchise has largely been a single player affair for years. Fallout 76 marks the series foray into a live service game, putting players in the shoes of a Vault Dweller of Vault 76, the first Vault to house humanity before the nuclear war. Together, players will re-colonize the Wasteland in the aftermath of the war and form the societies that will come to permeate Fallout games that come later in the timeline. If going through West Virginia with friends and possibly shooting off some nukes doesn’t sound like fun, maybe roaming across Bethesda’s idea of West Virginian folklore will do the trick.

Pokemon: Let’s Go, Pikachu! & Eevee!

When a series goes on long enough, there’s always the question of how to bring in new players. Nintendo’s decided to split the difference with Pokemon; while a new core game will arrive next year, the Let’s Go games function as a point of entry for young kids in particular that are coming in from Pokemon Go. It’s the smart move to make, and new additions like couch co-op and the Pokeball accessory will help bring in those kids. Veterans will enjoy playing a modern Pokemon game at its most basic, but this is rightfully for the young Trainers looking to be the very best.

Battlefield 5

Battlefield 1 won everyone over with a no frills look at the Great War from the view of ordinary people, and DICE is hoping to make lightning strike twice. With Battlefield V set in World War II, the War Stories become more personal and deeper than before, and even multiplayer allows for stories to be told thanks to the continuous “Grand Operations” mode. More importantly, all future multiplayer content for the game will be free and come with no loot boxes. After what happened with Star Wars Battlefront II, it’s a welcome correction, and DICE is right to to make sure everyone has the best Battlefield experience possible.

Darksiders III

Having successfully cheated death after the closure of THQ, the Darksiders franchise has eyes on a comeback by putting players in control of the Horseman Fury, sister of previous protagonists War and Death. Armed with a deadly whip and her magic powers, Fury has to hunt down the Seven Deadly Sins and prove that the series was worth saving in the first place. Fortunately, we’ve been playing the game and learning more about its development this month, and it looks like it’s more than up to the task.

Artifact

Exit Theatre Mode

Platforms: PC

Release Date: November 28th

Valve makes its return to "shipping games" with a new digital card game called Artifact. Combining concepts and heroes from Dota 2 with the legendary design work of Magic: The Gathering's Richard Garfield and Valve talent, Artifact is already shaping up to be an exciting and complex digital card game. Two players equipped with five hero cards and an abundance of other cards compete on three lanes – which serve as three different boards – to try and destroy two towers to claim victory. Between you and those towers stands your enemy's cards and strategy. Even if you're not a fan of Dota 2, the pedigree of the development team behind Artifact and Artifact's promising potential for unique depth and flair make it an enticing game to keep an eye on.

Games of December 2018

Just Cause 4

Avalanche Studios may be working with id on Rage 2, but that hasn’t stopped them from bringing back Rico Rodriguez for a fourth action-packed outing. After Just Cause 3, it seemed like the series may have reached a ceiling with how crazy the franchise could get, but Just Cause 4 goes all out with deadly weather effects. Thunderstorms, blizzards, and sandstorms will no doubt lead to some epic moments, and it’s hard to not be excited for a game that’ll let you surf onto a car into the middle of a tornado.

Super Smash Bros. Ultimate

Every time a new Smash title is unveiled, it warrants attention, and Smash Ultimate is no different. This time around, every fighter from the previous games is showing up, even those who were released as post game content. Even though the game could just rest on its large returning roster, it’s still adding a few new characters to the lineup like the Inklings and Ridley. For their part, returning characters such as Mario and Link will get new outfits that reflect their most recent solo games. A Nintendo system always needs a Smash title, and Smash Ultimate sounds like it’ll definitely live up to its lofty subtitle.

Release Date TBA 2018

Diablo 3: Eternal Collection

The Diablo 3: Eternal Collection brings the addictive loot, rinse, repeat gameplay of this classic action RPG to the Nintendo Switch. The renowned gameplay of the Diablo series looks like a perfect match for Nintendo’s hybrid console, so you can wage battle as one of 7 different classes even on the go.